The present invention relates to reusable apparatus for launching pyrotechnic projectiles, e.g. at fireworks displays.
Pyrotechnic projectiles have generally been launched from tubes such as mortar tubes. The vertically oriented mortar tube is generally affixed to a base and the pyrotechnic projectile is slidably inserted into the launch tube, to be propelled therefrom vertically upon ignition of a fused impulse cartridge affixed to the rear end of the projectile. On ignition, the exploding launch charge develops gas pressure within the mortar tube causing the projectile to be expelled from the tube and projected vertically upwardly through and out of the mortar tube. A recent U.S. Patent, U.S. Pat. No. 6,286,429B1, discloses one such device.
Such mortar tube launchers have been made from paper, cardboard and plastic. Such launchers can be damaged or destroyed upon use, and some can not be reused safely to launch additional projectiles after the first. Reusable mortar tubes have been made of metal and of high strength plastics, but at substantially elevated costs.
Mortar tube pyrotechnic launchers have additional disadvantages. They are prone to accidents resulting from launch personnel prematurely looking down the muzzle of the mortar tube to determine its firing status. Burning or smoldering debris can be concealed at the bottom of the mortar tube from previous launches, causing premature ignition of subsequent loaded projectiles. Also, an ignited fuse can fall into such tube and out of sight, thereby rendering an explosive situation undetectable using ordinary precautions. In addition, internal damage, i.e. weak spots, in the walls of such tubes are difficult to detect. Further, rocket design con-figuration and the imagination of the rocket designer are constrained to projectile configurations which will fit down inside a cylindrical mortar launch tube.
These disadvantages of conventional pyrotechnic projectile mortar tube launchers are substantially overcome by the apparatus of the present invention. The invention is described fully in the following specification and in the accompanying drawings.
Pyrotechnic fireworks launch apparatus is provided. The apparatus includes a base to which is affixed a male-configured launching cylinder. The launching cylinder is adapted to accept thereover, in combination, an internally cylindrical, female-configured projectile, wherein the projectile has a proximal and a distal end thereof. The projectile houses a fused pyrotechnic display charge proximate its distal end and also houses a fused launching charge encased therein and partitioned from the display charge. On insertion of the launching cylinder into the proximal end of the projectile, thereby mounting the projectile upon the launching cylinder, the encased launching charge and the launching cylinder are in abutting relationship. Upon ignition of the fused launch charge, the projectile is launched vertically from the launching cylinder. The launching cylinder may be a solid, cylindrical rod or a hollow, cylindrical tube. The fuse of the fused launching charge extends through the launch charge housing and to the surrounding environment. The fuse of the fused pyrotechnic display charge extends through the partition between the launching charge and the display charge.
The projectile may have aerodynamic guidance means such as fins affixed to the projectile, which fins may be oriented at an angle to the longitudinal axis of the projectile. Additional vanes may be attached thereto to impart rotation to the projectile. The projectile preferably has at least three fins, most preferably having four fins.
The launching charge may be black powder.
In the apparatus of the invention, the projectile housing preferably has a proximal end thereof angled to the horizontal such that the projectile can not stand alone on a horizontal surface upon its proximal end in a free-standing configuration. In this embodiment, the projectile can not be mistakenly observed as ready-to-fire, since it cannot stand vertically on its own.
The launching cylinder may be wood, cardboard, plastic or metal. Preferably the housing of the projectile is cardboard, paper or plastic.
The external configuration of the projectile may have any number of shapes. In a preferred configuration, it is shaped as a rocket. Additionally, clearly, the external configuration of the projectile may be shaped as an airplane, as an insect, as a building structure, including, e.g., Tower of London, the Eiffel Tower, the Empire State Building, the Statue of Liberty, or, e.g., a lighthouse. The external configuration of the projectile may have other shapes such as a fairy, or as a super hero such as Superman(copyright), Batman(copyright), Spider-Man(copyright) or Boom Man(trademark). The projectile may be shaped as a badminton shuttlecock, an oil rig, as the space needle, or as any recognizable configuration limited only by the designer""s imagination.
Multiple units of the apparatus of the invention may be all fused together serially, whereby, upon ignition of one unit, all units are ignited sequentially to produce an even more spectacular display.